The difficulty of referring to the presence of members of the public who may be in the gallery is one that is known to hon. members and I have had to exercise certain powers of chastisement in this regard from time to time on members on both sides of the House. It has particularly dealt with Standing Order 31 statements where reference by members to people in the gallery is disruptive and of course loses time so we do not get as many S.O. 31 statements as we might otherwise have.
I listened to the question and the answer today. I must say I do not recall, and had I heard the minister make some reference to people in the gallery, I would have been on my feet in a flash. However, I will check the blues and I will in fact look at the videotape of the proceedings to see if there was some hint. I sensed that there were people in the gallery; I detected that there was talk of people in the navy being particularly thanked, but I did not think the minister either pointed or said they were there. However, I will check the blues and if necessary, I will chastise the minister.
This is not a matter that makes a speaker quail, and the hon. member for Edmonton North knows that, but I think it is very important that we bear this in mind.
Yesterday there were references to people who had just left the gallery, which I found troubling, and references to the people who were coming into the gallery later, which I found troubling because I had a feeling they might have already been there.
I urge hon. members to respect our traditions and avoid these kinds of references in their remarks. We are functioning as a House here on this level. The people who are in the heavens, up higher, are not necessarily ones we ought to refer to in the course of our debate.
I encourage all hon. members to cooperate, as always, with the Chair in observing the rules and traditions of this Chamber.